Collapsible book support or rest



Aug. 13, 1957 H. KRAUS COLLAPSIBLE BOOK SUPPORT OR REST Filed Oct. 27, 1955 34 30 S A) Y I l 1) 1: ls i 3! l 1 A! Ail I 28 3; 33 23 33 F IG.5. HQ. 6

a An/ 3 4 28 INVENTOR.

' HARQLD hnAvs ATTORNEY COLLAPSIBLE BOOK SUPPORT R REST Harold Kraus, Bronx, N. Y.

Application October 27, 1955, Serial No. 543,053

Claims. (Cl. 45-57) This invention relates to a collapsible book support or rest formed from a book container.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a book container with parts that open to provide supporting and easel elements so that the container can be selfsupporting for a book.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a book support formed from a book container means turnable upon one of the extended parts which will serve as abutments for the pages of the book so as to keep the book turned to the desired opening as it is being read and wherein these abutments can easily be withdrawn to permit the turning of the pages of the book while in place upon the book rest.

It is still another object of the invention to provide 'a book rest which when folded or closed provides space for the storing of the book and a protection to the same when the book is not being read so that the book and the book rest can be carried easily about together without much more space than the book alone would consume and wherein protection is given to the book covers while the book is being carried in the book rest and thereby eliminating the need for paper book covers that are usually laced upon the book.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a collapsible book rest or support formed from a container and having the above objects in mind, which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, easy to open and adjust, of pleasing appearance, convenient and efficient in use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a front perspective view of the book support extended and made ready for supporting a book,

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the book support in its collapsed or folded state and adapted to contain a book,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the book support with the parts extended and as viewed on line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of the book support with its parts extended,

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are respectively sectional views of the end cover and looking upon the page holding abutments for the book with the same being respectively shown in three different positions, this view being taken generally on line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the figures, 10 represents a main tubular body of rectangular section open at one end as indicated at 11 to receive and contain a book as indicated at 12 with phantom lines in Fig. 2. The book will be removed from this opened end 11 of the container and upon the container being set up it can serve to support the book in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

On the opposite end of the tubular body is a hinged cover 13 that has a horizontally-extending top part 14, a

United States Patent 2,802,295 Patented Aug. 13, 1957 vertically-extending part 15 and triangular shaped ends 16 and 17 all joined together to provide either a closure for the opposite end of the tubular body 10 in the manner as shown in Fig. 2 or as a support for a book so that its open edges of the vertically-extending part 15 and the triangularly-shaped end parts will rest upon a horizontal surface co-extensively with inclined side edges 18 and 19 with tubular body 10. The hinge connection for the hinge cover can be effected in the container tube through scoring at 20 or by the use of a tape in the usual manner. The rear part of the container body 10 is cut upwardly along its edges as indicated at 21 and 22 to provide foran easel plate support 23 that can be folded rearwardly in the manner as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 to support the tube 10 in an inclined manner. The rear of the tube is further out as shown at 24 to provide for a stop projection 25 onthe plate 23 which will bear against the inner face of the front of the tube and will come to rest against an inwardly depressed stop 26, Fig. 3, to hold the easel plate against further separation from the container tube 10. The easel plate is hinged upon scoring at 27 which can be reinforced bya' tape in the usual manner. With the stop part and the easel plate extended book rest is made ready for use so that an open book 12 can be supported thereupon in an inclined manner as illustrated in Fig. 1 and with its lower edge resting upon the horizontally-extending top part 14.

In order to retain the pages in their open positions there is provided in the top part 14 two adjustable stops 28 and 29. Each of these stops 28 and 29 are formed as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 of a turn shaft 30 journalled in a hole 31 running normal to the vertically-extending part 15 of the hinge cover 13 and having a knob 32 that extends over the vertically-extending part 15 by which the shaft 30 is turned. Communicating with the respective openings 31 for the adjustable stops. 28 and 29 are respectively oppositely-extending slots 33 and 34 and oppositely-extending slots 35 and 36. The slots 33 and 35 lie closer to the front face of the tube 10 than the slots 34 and 36. Upon each turn shaft 30 there is secured for registry with each pair of openings inner and outer stop projections 37 and 38 that are one hundred and eighty degrees apart upon the shaft 30 and which can be respectively turned out of the respective slots 33 and 34 or 35 and 36 for engagement with the pages of the book to hold them open. When there are few pages open at one side of the book the inner projections 37 will be used to retain its pages but when there are more than a few pages the projection 38 is used. The shaft is turned by the knob 32 to position these projections. The stop part 14 is made extra thick to accommodate these turn shafts 30. The projections 37 and 38 can be turned into the slots when the stop devices are not in use and when the book support has been collapsed to provide the container for the book as is shown in Fig. 2. These adjustable stop devices are frictionally retained in the positions to which they are turned.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a book rest or support that can be formed out of a container for a book by simply extending outwardly from front and rear of the container parts serving to support the container in an inclined upright manner and to support the book in its open condition and at its lower edge.

It will be further apparent that a simple and efficient means has been provided for holding the pages of the book open at the different thicknesses thereof.

While various changes may be made in the detailed structure it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A book rest comprising a tubular main body open at one end to receive and contain a book, a cover part hingedly connected to the front of the container tube and edly connected to the front of the container tube and when opened serving as a support for holding the tube in an inclined upright manner and along the front of the tube, said cover part serving as a resting surface for the lower ,edge of .the book while the book itself is retained upon the front part of the tube, a hingeable easel plate ,cut from the rear of the tube to support the rear of the tube, and said cover partincluding a horizontally-extendingtop part, a vertically-extending part and triangularlyshaped end parts all joined together, said tube having inclined side edges on which the tube may be supported upon the horizontal surface and which will run co-extensively with the edges of the triangularly-shaped end parts of the cover.

3, A book rest comprising a tubular main body open at one end to receive and contain a book, a cover part hingedly connected to the front of the container tube and when opened serving as a support for holding the tube in an inclined upright manner and along the front of the tube, said cover part serving as a resting surface for the lower edge of the book while the book itself is retained upon the front part of the tube, a hingeable easel plate cut from the rear of the tube to support the rear of the tube, said easel plate having a stop projection adapted to extend into the tube upon the easel plate being extended to its supporting position, and a depressible stop rest cut from the front of the tube and engageable by the stop projection of the easel plate to hold the easel plate against further separation from the container tube.

4. A book rest comprising a tubular main body open at one end to receive and contain a book, a cover part hingedly connected to the front of the container tube and when opened serving as a support for holding the tube in an inclined upright manner and along the "front of the tube, said cover part serving as a resting surface for the lower edge of the book while the book itself is retained upon the front part of the tube, a hingeable easel plate cut from the rear of the tube to support the rear of the tube, said cover part having pairs of oppositely-extending slots thereon, stop devices rotatable in said cover part and having projections adapted to be extended alternately through the respective oppositely-extending slots and adapted to be engaged by the pages of the book to prevent the pages from closing upon themselves.

5. A book rest comprising a tubular main body open at one end to receive and contain a book, a cover part hingedly connected to the front of the container tube and when opened serving as a support for holding the tube in an inclined upright manner and along the front of the tube, said cover part serving as a resting surface for the lower edge of the book while the book itself is retained upon the front part of the tube, a hingeable easel plate cut from the rear of the tube to support the rear of the tube, and said cover having a vertically-extending part, and stop devices having knobs provided along the face of the verti- Cally-extending part and presentable upon the front of the book rest and rotatable to align either one or the other of the stop projections of the devices with the pages of the book.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 402,518 Fowler Apr. 30, 1889 1,292,720 Dawson Jan. 28, 1919 1,330,250 Engel Feb. 10, 1920 1,675,060 Simmons June 26, 1928 1,830,815 Twait Nov. 10, 1931 2,547,182 Turnbull Apr. 3, 1951 2,676,777 Moushon Apr. 27, 1954 

